The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-04-01

other sounds. When I said that the
ship was to windward OF the berg, and
that it was also a dead calm, / meant
that she was on the side from which
the waves were running. We had
taken her bearings by compass as we
rounded the corner of the berg, and
now as the storm came on we settled
into our seats for a strong pull The
squall had come up with the run of the
waves, so that as soon as we had
rounded the berg we found ourselves
facing such a whirl of snow as you can
scarcely imagine, while the waves be-
gan to take on their white crests and
to run with greater strength. We
knew that the ship could not remain
stationary, and that the chances of our
running across her in that storm were
not one in Il thousand; but every man
had shut his teeth on the worst when
the mate brought out the bottle of
whisky from the stern locker and said:
-''Now, lads. a pull at the bottle all
around. We are in an awkward fix, to
be sure. but I've been in far worse, and
am here to prove that l came out all
right. Give me a strong stroke and
/ I'll put you aboard of the Yestal in half
an hour"
It was wonderful how much his
words cheered us up, and we sent the
boat ahead as if we had sighted a
whale. We had pulled a good four
miles from the berg when Mr.. Wharton
ordered us to cease rowing, and after
drift of ten or fifteen minutes he said:
/ AT o1p hov-o 171ilSaH tho
ship, and must make the best of it.
The storm won't break for hours yet,
and our only hope is to find the big
berg again and make fast under its lee.
Round with the boat, and let every
man keep mp a stout heart"
He wasn't sure that he had the bear
ings of the berg, being as we had
drifted away to the southwest, but after
a long and fatiguing pull, with the
furry so dense that we could not see 4
boats length away, we finally heard
the breaking of the surf on the berg.
We then ran down its north face until
we turned the corner, and were soon at
the very shelf on which the bears laid
dead. Having been cruising among
the ice for weeks, our boat was pro-
vided with ice anchors, and after a lit
tie we made fast, vcered the boat to
a safe distance, and then rode
as nicely rs you please. The water
under the lee of that great floating OBJ
stacle was as quiet as it would have
been in the lee of q hundred-acre ISL
and. 1t WASH t so very cold, but we
had pulled away from the ship without
any preparation, and rs the afternoon
wore away we found that our cramPed
quarters were telling against us.
Feet, hands and limbs were benumbed,
and it was plain that we must
have exercise or we would soon be
frostbitten. BY the mates orders the
boat was drawn into the berg, and we
got out on secure footing and hauled
the craft after us. The mate then told
us to scatter along the shelf on which
the bears were lying and stretch our
legs and swing our arms, and while we
were at this he Overhauled the stores
in the boat. When we finally gathered
around him again he announced that
he had found Il lantern and a pint of
oil, two hatchets, a harpOOn, three mus
kets with powder and ball for about
twenty rounds, lot of matches, two
tins of ships biscuit, a key of water,
and there was the whale line on its
reel, and the ice anchor to complete the
list. We moved along in a body ia
where the carcasses were lying. and al
the projection which had stopped their
further flight we began cutting a cave
in the ice. The berg was hard as ice
can freeze, but our hatchetS and har'
pooh had keen edges, and before dark
ness settled down, taking turns at the
work, we had cut out a cavity seven OIL
eight feet deep by rs many broad. i
made capital shelter from the furious
snow storm, which still prevailed with
out the least sign of abatement, and a
, soon as we were sheltered from that W,
+ we're comparatively warm.
The bodies of the bears had not We
| frozen, and Mr.. Wharton lighted tn
lantern and we set to work with on
4 sheath knives to skin and dress them
Our real situation was scarcely referre,
to by any of us, although each MAJ
, fully understood how desperate it was
q We had biscuit sufficient to last tn
four for week or ten days-that is
e enough to sustain life that length O
= time. If we were compelled to remain
\ on the berg the bear meat would be
h gOdsend to us. Every man had this lie
!, | Election, but no man gave utterance t
t his thoughts. We cracked jokes an,
t tried to be cheerful, and, could n siXt
g man have looked in on us, he wOult
s have said we were enjoying oUr
V selves immensely. The big skin
n were spread on the floor of on
v ice cave, the carcasses cut up in hand
Il pieces, and when darkness fell upon tn
5 ocean we lay down side by side withou
It having eaten or drank, and were 500
e asleep. l had Knocked about in a
;, sorts of crafts and had sailed in a
!, seas, and peril was no new thing to mt
II When 1 lay down I had to admit t
a myself that the present situation ha
o never been cqualed, and l forced m
e thoughts into other channels. Had
q began figuring on our chances / shout
d have gone wild. l lay next to MI
1 Wharton, and perhaps, as 1 was fallin
rs into doze, / may have whispere
n something to myself, for he laid hi
a hand on my shoulder, put his mout
,e close to my ear, and softly said:
1t Nelson, whatever you think of tn
IT situation, say nothing to any of th
IF rest. The gale is blowing up grea
d guns, and God only knows what ma
ir happen to us even before midnight"
n I'm thinking the ship will take L
IS off tomorrow, sir, ] answered.
If Il hope so, / hope so. Let's go
h sleep and not worry